Italy’s Green-Roofed Antinori Winery is Topped With a Vineyard!

We've covered several striking wineries throughout Europe, but this is the first time we've seen one with a roof that doubles as a cultivatable plot of land! In order to blend the Antinori Winery into the Chianti hills between Florence and Siena, Archea Associati planted several rows of vines right on the roof, which also features a series of circular cutouts that allow light to infuse both the lower and upper levels of this remarkable building.

Constructed with natural materials such as terracotta that not only fit in with the vernacular architecture but also help to control temperatures without excessive mechanical intervention, the winery’s production and bottling center, which also features a restaurant, museum, library, retail outlet and a wine-tasting area, is topped with a green roof unlike any that we have showcased on our site before.

Whereas most green roofs feature sedum and other low maintenance plant species that help to insulate and control rainwater runoff, the Antinori Winery turned their rooftop into a productive extension of the greater vineyard. Barely visible from afar, the roof peers over the hilly landscape, and circular holes flood the interior with natural light. The owners invested a staggering €67,000 into this project, which reveals their deep attachment to and respect for the land that has sustained 26 generations of winemakers!